Mate
n.kind, resilienteveryday
What it means
A friend or companion who shares an activity, place, or experience.
Reach for it when referring warmly and informally to a peer, especially in British or Australian usage
Her climbing mate checked every knot before they left the ledge.
Choose between these
8- playful
for friendly, informal companionship in American English
not when Buddy can sound childish or patronizing in serious recognition.
- playful
for casual affection with a slightly old-fashioned tone
not when Pal is too breezy for a trusted partner in dangerous or professional work.
- everyday
when belonging to the same team is the exact connection
not when A teammate need not be a friend or regular companion.
- warm
when shared time or travel matters more than intimacy
not when Companion is more formal and can sound distant in everyday speech.
- warm
when personal affection and trust are clear
not when Friend may claim emotional closeness that a casual mate does not.
- professional
when cooperation and shared responsibility define the relationship
not when Partner can imply romance, business ownership, or a formal role.
- formal
fellow
when shared membership or circumstance is enough
not when Fellow is impersonal and can sound gendered or old-fashioned.
- literary
comrade
when solidarity through shared effort or hardship matters
not when Comrade has political and military associations that can distract.
Said against
3- enemy
- stranger
- rival
It naturally appears in
3- best mate
His best mate organized a quiet welcome after the long deployment.
- old mate
An old mate recognized the carving style immediately.
- travel mate
A patient travel mate made the delayed journey easier.
Where this comes from
In the friend sense, mate is especially natural in British and Australian English; in other varieties it may sound marked or mean a spouse or breeding partner.
- merriam-webster, noun sense: friend or companion opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.